Improvement in many-chambered-cylinder fire-arms



J. w. COCHRA N.

Revolver. N0. 183.

Paznted Apn'l 29, .1837.

NJETERS, PMOYO-LITNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W JOHN W. GOOHRAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

lMPFtOVEMENT IN MANY-CHAMBERED-CYLINDER FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I83, dated April 29, 1837.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. CooHRAN, of the city ofNew York, in the State ot'New York, have made certain Improvements in Fire-Arms, for which I have made application for Letters Patent of the United States, and which are now pending before the Commissioner of Patentsto wit, for a new and useful improvement in fire-arms, which he denomiuates the Many-Ghambered and Nou-Recoil Rifle, Pistol, or Fire-Arm. And be it further known that since applicationwas made by me for Letters Patent for the above-named improvement, by means of which the same general mode of construction-that is to say, the same kind of cylinder to contain the charges and occupying the same part of the fire-arm as described in the specification aforesaid and by me placed on file in the Patent Otfice for the purpose of obtaining patents thereon-is adapted more especially and directly to muskets, carbines, and generally to all various kinds of fire-arms used for military purposes; and I do hereby dc clare that the following is a full and exact description of this further improvement.

I do not think it necessary herein to describe the combination of chambers in a cylinder, the catch-hole, and pawl by which this cylinder is held in a proper position when the discharge is to take place, or the tingerpiece by which it is disengaged and a new charge brought opposite to the bore of the barrel, all these being fully set forth in the instruments of writing forming the specification of the above-named improvement, to which, therefore, I refer, as Letters Patent will in due course issue for this prior to or simultaneously with that for the improvement herein specified, and as these parts are or may be identical in the improved arms which are the subject of that and also of the present application.

The improvement now made consists in the manner of constructing the upper stock-strap in'order that it may be instantaneously opened, and a cylinder from which all the discharges have been made may be replaced by one fully charged. To efi'ect this object, instead ot'screwing the upper stock-strap to the stock and barrel, as is done in the case of the rifles and pistols before mentioned, the upper stock-strap is attached to the barrel by a hinge-joint, as at A, Figure 1, allowing it to be raised for the removal of one cylinder and the substitution of another, and when shut down upon the cylinder it is affixed in its place by means of a thumb-screw, spring-catch, or turn-buckle, the

head of which passes through a slot or openingin the back end of the stoclcstrap, its shank screwinginto or turningin the stock. A springcatch, as shown at B, I prefer to a turn-buckle, as admitting of a change with greater rapidity.

At the hinged end of the upper stock-strap, where it is connected with that part of the under stock-strap, I leave the joint open for the purpose of allowing a free escape upward through this open hinge-joint of any portion of the discharge which may escape on the upper side at thejunction of the barrel with the cylinder, a free escape through this joint tending to prevent the fouling of the parts between the stock-straps. This open joint is s own at C, Fig. 2.

hen an instrument of this kind thus constructed is employed for military purposes it is intended that two, three or any convenient number of ready-charged cylinders shall be carried in a box like a cartouch-box, orin any other convenient way, by which means twenty,

thirty, forty, or more rounds may be fired in rapid succession without the necessity of reloading.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and improvement is 1. The affixing of the upper stock-strap by means of a hinge and thumb-screw, springcatch, turn-buckle, or other analogous contrivance to fire-arms, and more especially to those used in military operations, constructed substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2-. The formationot' a space at the fore end of the upper stock-strap, immediately above the junction of the barrel with the cylinder, for the escape of a portion of the tire audsmoke produced by the discharge.

JOHN \V. COOHRAN.

Witnesses:

Tnos. P. J oNEs, W. THOMPSON. 

